Lubrication device

ABSTRACT

A lubrication device includes at least one attachment unit for attaching the lubrication device relative to and adjacent to a rail of a track during an operating process. At least one dispensing unit sprays lubricant onto at least one part of a top side of the rail during the operating process. The dispensing unit includes a high-pressure-exerting device.

The invention emanates from a lubrication device according to the preamble of claim 1.

A lubrication device is known which is attached relative to and adjacent to a rail of a track. The lubrication device includes a lubricant line which guides lubricant to an edge region of the top side of the rail.

The object of the invention consists, in particular, in providing a lubrication device of the above-mentioned type with a high efficiency. The object is inventively solved by the features of patent claim 1, while advantageous designs and further developments of the invention can be derived from the dependent claims.

The invention emanates from a lubrication device including at least one attachment unit, which is provided for an attachment of the lubrication device relative to and adjacent to a rail of a track during an entire operating process, and including at least one dispensing unit which is provided to provide at least one part of a top side of the rail with lubricant during the operating process.

It is proposed that the dispensing unit is provided to spray lubricant onto the top side of the rail during the operating process. “Provided” shall be understood in particular to mean specifically designed and/or specifically equipped and/or specifically programmed. That the attachment unit for an attachment of the lubrication device is provided “adjacent” to a rail of a track shall in particular be understood to mean that the attachment unit is provided to attach the lubrication device such that at least one part of the lubrication device has a distance to the rail smaller than five meters, preferably smaller than one meter, and particularly preferably smaller than ten centimeters. A “top side” of the rail shall in particular be understood to mean a top side of a head of the rail, and preferably a running surface of the rail. A high efficiency can be achieved using an inventive design. In particular, an efficient supplying of lubricant can be achieved. In particular, a good distribution of the lubricant on the top side and a small amount of lubricant, which does not remain disposed on the top side, can be achieved.

Advantageously, the dispensing unit includes a pressure-exerting means, which is provided to exert a pressure of more than 1.5 bar for a dispensing of the lubricant. In this way, an effective dispensing of the lubricant, and in particular an approximately uniform distribution of the lubricant, can be achieved. Preferably, the pressure-exerting means is provided so as to build up a pressure of more than 100 bar and particularly preferably of more than 270 bar, whereby a particularly effective dispensing of the lubricant can be achieved.

Further it is proposed that a dispensing opening of the dispensing unit, which is provided for a discharge of lubricant from the dispensing unit, is disposed at least two millimeters higher than the top side of the rail. A simple application can thereby be achieved. Preferably, the dispensing opening of the dispensing unit is disposed at least 1 cm and particularly preferably 1.5 cm higher than the top side of the rail, whereby a particularly efficient application of the lubricant can be achieved.

Preferably the dispensing unit is provided so as to spray lubricant at an angle of approximately 13° relative to a horizontally-extending plane. A “horizontally” extending plane shall in particular be understood to mean a plane which exclusively has surface-extension directions which extend perpendicular to a vertical. That lubricant is sprayed at an angle of approximately 13° relative to a horizontally-extending plane shall in particular be understood to mean that a first line, which is parallel to a velocity vector, with which the lubricant is sprayed, forms an angle of approximately 13° with a second line, which is a parallel projection of the first line perpendicular to a horizontally-extending plane on the horizontally extending plane. That the dispensing unit is provided to spray lubricant at an angle of “approximately” 13° relative to a horizontally-extending plane shall in particular be understood to mean that the dispensing unit is provided to spray lubricant at an angle relative to a horizontally-extending plane, which angle deviates from 13 degrees at most five degrees, preferably at most one degree, and particularly preferably at most 0.3 degrees. In this way an efficient use of the lubricant can be achieved. In particular it can be achieved that only a small amount of lubricant does not remain on the top side.

Moreover it is proposed that the lubrication device includes at least one temperature sensor for temperature measurement. In this way, dispensing conditions of the lubricant can be monitored.

Advantageously, the lubrication device has at least one heating means for heating of the lubricant. In this way a good sprayability of the lubricant can be achieved.

Preferably, the lubrication device includes a height adjustment unit, which makes possible a positioning of the dispensing unit at different heights relative to a base of the lubrication device. In this way the lubrication device is usable for different track types.

Further it is proposed that the dispensing unit is provided to trigger a spraying of the lubricant based on a lubricant pressure change. In this way a constructively simple design can be achieved.

Furthermore, a device including the lubrication device and the rail is proposed, wherein the lubrication device is attached relative to the rail. A high efficiency can thereby be achieved.

Further advantages will become apparent from the following description of the drawings. An exemplary embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings. The drawings, the description, and the claims contain numerous features in combination. The person skilled in the art will also advantageously consider the features individually and in further meaningful combinations.

FIG. 1 shows a device including an inventive lubrication device and a rail of a track, wherein in particular the rail and a metal-plate cover of the lubrication device are shown in dashed lines and the viewing direction is parallel to a main extension direction of the rail,

FIG. 2 shows a partial section through a dispensing unit of the lubrication device, and

FIG. 3 shows a part of the lubrication device wherein a flow path of lubricant is depicted.

FIG. 1 shows a device including an inventive lubrication device and a rail 10 of a track, which rail 10 is provided for traversing by a train. The lubrication device includes an attachment unit 12 which attaches the lubrication device to the rail 10. For this purpose the attachment unit 12 includes a rod 32, and two components 34, 36 each having a groove into which a projection 38 of the rail 10 respectively engages. Two nuts 40 are screwed to the rod 32 so that the components 34, 36 are pressed against the rail, whereby the lubrication device is attached to the rail 10 in a friction-fit manner along a main extension direction of the rail 10. The lubrication device is thus attached relative to and adjacent to the rail 10.

Further, the lubrication device includes a dispensing unit 14 (FIGS. 1 and 2), which sprays rail-head conditioning agent onto a top side 16 of the rail 10 during an operating process. The rail-head conditioning agent is lubricant, which in particular includes ester oils and metal powder. The lubrication device has a lubricant channel 42 which is connected to an external lubricant line (not shown). Using an external pump (not shown), lubricant is pumped through the lubricant channel 42 in a cavity of a valve screw 44 of the dispensing unit 14. There the lubricant presses sealing lips 46 of a rerouting body 48 of the lubrication device inward, which sealing lips 46 initially abut on an inner side of the valve screw 44, and flows to a metering piston 50; the lubricant presses the piston 50 against a force of a pressure-exerting means 18, in the form of a compression spring 52, away from the rerouting body 48. The compression spring 52 and the metering piston 50 are part of a cartridge insert 54 of the dispensing unit 14, which is screwed to a base body 56 of the dispensing unit 14. If the compression spring 52 exerts a pressure on the lubricant from three hundred to three hundred and fifty bar, an external control unit (not shown), which controls the external pump, causes a pressure which is exerted from the pump on the lubricant to be lesser than the pressure that the compression spring 52 exerts on the lubricant by the metering piston 50. Lubricant is thereupon pressed by the compression spring 52 against the sealing lips 46, so that the sealing lips 46 again abut on and seal the inner side of the valve screw 44, so that a certain amount of lubricant, namely 0.1 cubic centimeter, is located in a cavity which is partially delimited by the rerouting body and the metering piston. Further, the rerouting body is pressed away from a lubricant outlet 60 of the dispensing unit 14, which lubricant outlet 60 it had previously sealed, against a further compression spring 58 of the dispensing unit 14 by the pressure of the compression spring 52, which pressure is transmitted by the lubricant. The compression spring 58 is disposed within the valve screw 44. The lubricant outlet 60 is a bore which leads to a nozzle 62. The lubricant disposed in the cavity is sprayed through the bore and the nozzle 62 onto the top side 16 of the rail 10 due to the pressure of the compression spring 52. A discharge opening 20 of the nozzle is disposed more than a centimeter higher than the top side 16 of the rail 10. The dispensing unit 14 is attached on a carrier part 66 of the lubrication device such that a surface of the dispensing unit 14 abuts on a surface 64 of the lubrication device, which is inclined by an angle 22 of thirteen degrees relative to a horizontal. Lubricant which is sprayed from the nozzle 62 is therefore sprayed at an angle of thirteen degrees relative to a plane which includes only horizontal surface-extension directions.

Further, the lubrication device includes an electrically-powered heating means 26, which is provided for a heating of the lubricant (FIG. 3). Moreover, the lubrication device includes three further dispensing units 70, which are identical to the dispensing unit 14. Furthermore, the lubrication device includes a temperature sensor 24 which is provided for a measuring of the temperature of the lubricant. Together with the heating means 26, the temperature sensor 24 effects a regulating of the temperature to a value between minus five degrees and plus seventy degrees.

The distance between the nozzle 62 and a base 30 of the lubrication device is adjustable to various values using a height adjustment device 28. The height adjustment device 28 includes a cam 72 which, by its turning, can adjust the carrier part 66 in height, wherein a movement of the carrier part 66 is thereby guided by slots 74 of the carrier part 66, and bolts which project through the slots 74 and are fixed relative to the base 30.

A support disk 76 is disposed on the rerouting body 48. Further, an O-ring 78 for sealing is disposed on the valve screw 44. The rail 10 is an S49 rail. A region 84, which is depicted hatched in FIG. 1 and has the dimensions 135 millimeters by 55 millimeters, is free of any components. In its total height, the lubrication device protrudes over the rail 10.

The lubrication device is suited in particular for the S49, S54, UIC60, and R65 rail profiles. For these rail profiles, the carrier part 66 has markings which indicate at which height the nozzle 62 is to be set using the cam 72.

Further, the lubrication device includes a reservoir 80 in which excess lubricant is collected. The lubrication device includes a metal-plate cover 82 which protects against effects of weather.

REFERENCE NUMBER LIST

-   10 Rail -   12 Attachment unit -   14 Dispensing unit -   16 Top side -   18 Pressure-exerting means -   20 Dispensing opening -   22 Angle -   24 Temperature sensor -   26 Heating means -   28 Height adjustment unit -   30 Base -   32 Rod -   34 Component -   36 Component -   38 Projection -   40 Nut -   42 Lubricant channel -   44 Valve screw -   46 Sealing lip -   48 Rerouting body -   50 Metering piston -   52 Compression spring -   54 Cartridge insert -   56 Base body -   58 Compression spring -   60 Lubricant outlet -   62 Nozzle -   64 Surface -   66 Carrier part -   70 Dispensing unit -   72 Cam -   74 Slot -   76 Support disk -   78 O-ring -   80 Reservoir -   82 Metal-plate cover -   84 Region -   86 Total height 

1-10. (canceled)
 11. A lubrication device including: at least one attachment unit configured to attach the lubrication device relative to and adjacent to a rail of a track during an operating process, and at least one dispensing unit configured to spray lubricant onto at least one part of a top side of the rail during the operating process, wherein the dispensing unit comprises a pressure-exerting means configured to exert a pressure of more than 100 bar to dispense the lubricant.
 12. The lubricating device according to claim 11, wherein the dispensing unit further includes a cavity for holding a predetermined amount of the lubricant and the lubricant disposed in the cavity is sprayable onto the top side of the rail by the pressure of the pressure-exerting means.
 13. The lubricating device according to claim 11, wherein the dispensing unit is configured to spray the lubricant at an angle of approximately 13° relative to a horizontally-extending plane.
 14. The lubricating device according to claim 11, further including at least one temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the lubricant.
 15. The lubricating device according to claim 11, further including at least one heating means for heating the lubricant.
 16. The lubricating device according to claim 11, further including: a base and a height adjustment unit configured to adjustably position the dispensing unit at different heights relative to the base.
 17. The lubricating device according to claim 11, wherein the dispensing unit is configured to trigger the spraying of the lubricant based on a lubricant pressure change.
 18. The lubricating device according to claim 17, further including: at least one temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the lubricant, at least one heating means for heating the lubricant a base and a height adjustment unit configured to adjustably position the dispensing unit at different heights relative to the base wherein the dispensing unit further includes a cavity for holding a predetermined amount of the lubricant and the lubricant disposed in the cavity is sprayable onto the top side of the rail by the pressure of the pressure-exerting means, and the dispensing unit is configured to spray the lubricant at an angle of approximately 13° relative to a horizontally-extending plane.
 19. An apparatus comprising: the lubrication device according to claim 18 and the rail having the top side, wherein the lubrication device is attached relative to the rail.
 20. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the dispensing unit has an outlet for discharging the lubricant from the dispensing unit, the outlet being disposed at least two millimeters higher than the top side of the rail.
 21. An apparatus comprising: the lubrication device according to claim 11 and the rail having the top side, wherein the lubrication device is attached relative to the rail.
 22. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the dispensing unit has an outlet for discharging the lubricant from the dispensing unit, the outlet being disposed at least two millimeters higher than the top side of the rail.
 23. A lubrication device including: at least one attachment unit configured to attach the lubrication device relative to and adjacent to a rail of a track during an operating process, and at least one dispensing unit configured to spray lubricant onto at least one part of a top side of the rail during the operating process, wherein the dispensing unit comprises a pressure-exerting means and a cavity for holding a predetermined amount of the lubricant, wherein the lubricant disposed in the cavity is sprayable onto the top side of the rail by the pressure of the pressure-exerting means.
 24. The lubricating device according to claim 23, wherein the dispensing unit is configured to spray the lubricant at an angle of approximately 13° relative to a horizontally-extending plane.
 25. The lubricating device according to claim 23, further including at least one temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the lubricant.
 26. The lubricating device according to claim 23, further including at least one heating means for heating the lubricant.
 27. The lubricating device according to claim 23, further including: a base and a height adjustment unit configured to adjustably position the dispensing unit at different heights relative to the base.
 28. The lubricating device according to claim 27, wherein the dispensing unit is configured to trigger the spraying of the lubricant based on a lubricant pressure change.
 29. A method including: spraying lubricant from a dispensing unit of a lubrication device onto a top side of a rail of a track during an operating process, the dispensing unit being attached relative to and adjacent to the rail during the operating process, wherein the dispensing unit comprises a pressure-exerting means and a cavity for holding a predetermined amount of the lubricant, and the lubricant disposed in the cavity being sprayed onto the top side of the rail by the pressure of the pressure-exerting means.
 30. The method according to claim 29, wherein the dispensing unit has an outlet for discharging the lubricant from the dispensing unit, the outlet being disposed at least two millimeters higher than the top side of the rail. 